Startup Lessons From New York City Fashion Brand Ooshie

By Bridgette Austin

Although the road to starting a company isn’t always smooth, there are things you can do to make the ride less bumpy. Taking the time to clarify your brand vision, learn from trial and error, and sticking to a frugal budget can help you avoid some of the common hurdles faced by startups, according to Ooshie founder Melissia Hill. Above all, she says, you must be passionate about the mission behind your business.

“My inspiration for starting Ooshie emerged from the desire for women to not only feel beautiful, but to also show how smart and amazing they are,” Melissia said. “I thought, what could be a better way of doing that than by making dresses?”

Ooshie, which is named after the carefree 1960s fashion model Uschi Obermaier, is a ready-to-wear dress collection featuring vibrant prints and a motto on each tag that proclaims: “Until further notice, celebrate everything.” Each season, Ooshie donates profits from a featured garment to a non-profit organization dedicated to women’s causes.

Melissia, a former model and actress, has faced some challenges, but she has also seen many successes since launching her fashion brand in New York City over two years ago. Here are a few lessons she has learned so far during her journey from entrepreneurial novice to experienced business owner.

Lesson 1: Take Time to Teach Yourself the Basics

As a single mother who lacked formal education in marketing and business management, Melissia knew that getting up to speed on things like garment making and online marketing would take time and patience:

“I didn’t go to design school. I’m not that tech-savvy. I didn’t know anything about building a website, which is crucial to your online brand as a fashion retailer. There were a list of reasons of why I couldn’t do it. So I began telling myself, ‘Well, why can I do it?’”

Determined to turn her fashion company into a reality, Melissia set out to learn the different aspects of running a business, from finance and marketing, to design and media. She credits social media and web-based services like Craigslist as helpful resources for learning new skills and outsourcing talent. “There were many aspects to dressmaking and design that I had yet to learn. If I didn’t know how to do something technical, I’d watch YouTube videos or search the web for someone with the technical and design expertise who knew how.”

The same attitude should be applied when understanding legal documents, including the drafting of your own supplier contracts. Melissia advises entrepreneurs to do plenty of research and to do it thoroughly. “In the beginning, I made a lot of mistakes and lost a lot of money. Unfortunately, my supplier contracts lacked the legal language needed to protect my business interests.”

In other words, ask questions and get answers from suppliers upfront. Make sure your contracts are transparent and written in such a way that your word and business are protected.

Lesson 2: Marry Product Needs to Supply and Production

For new business owners who need to manufacture product, finding suppliers and distribution partners can be the hardest part to getting a retail shop off the ground. When Melissia couldn’t find the fabric she wanted locally, she decided to take her search overseas to New Delhi, India.

“I had a strong picture in my mind of what type of fabric I wanted. An associate referred me to a distributor in India who sourced fabric for major clothing brands such as Anthropologie. It took several phone conversations and a lot of self-reflection, but in the end, I decided to travel to India to find the materials I believed would bring the Ooshie brand to life.”

Although the fabric is sourced from another country, Ooshie produces its garments in factories located in New York City’s famed Garment District. It’s a trend many small businesses are following, as outsourcing production costs to countries like China has become increasingly expensive. “A lot of factories in New York have opened their doors to small production. Rather than producing 5,000 pieces, small brands like Ooshie can produce 200 pieces without wrangling constantly over pricing.”

While Melissia continues to source her materials from India, she admits there are unique challenges U.S. business owners face when partnering with international distributors, from language complications to cultural barriers. “I recently returned to India alone to purchase fabric. This time around, there wasn’t anyone there to help me or translate Hindi. I had to somehow find a way to communicate and work with the local warehouses despite not knowing the language or the business culture intimately.”

Melissia acknowledges, however, that there’s always room for growth when it comes to managing supplier relationships. “While I still source my fabrics internationally, I’m still learning what the best distribution model is for my business, including figuring out how much inventory to purchase and the best warehouses to buy fabric in bulk.”

Lesson 3: Institute a Business/Marketing Plan That Fits Your Company

“When I wrote a business plan, I had to remind myself not to worry about what everyone else was doing in their own organization,” Melissia remarks. “Instead, I kept asking myself, ‘What type of business plan is right for me and my business?’”

Though there are certainly best practices to follow when implementing a business or marketing plan, doings things differently from similar companies may prove to be a strategic advantage down the road. Melissia revealed some of the marketing tactics that have worked for her and helped Ooshie carve out a niche market in the fashion world:

• Be your walking advertisement. For example, “I try to wear my clothes as much as possible either on the street or at events to get people asking and talking about my brand.”
• Maximize the free, online resources available to small business owners. “As a busy single mother, Google and YouTube were a flexible and cost-effective way for me to learn from industry experts. I found the podcast Inside Social Media particularly useful since it covers big company marketing strategies for small businesses. Another one of my favorites, Successful Women Talk, is a great resource for tips from other female entrepreneurs who juggle motherhood with business ownership.”
• Don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth, especially if you’re a clothing brand. “While social media sites such as Instagram are valuable for getting publicity, you still have to be fearless when personally selling your business idea. If I think there’s a celebrity who would be a great brand ambassador for Ooshie, I’m not afraid to approach them and ask if I can send them samples to wear at events or places where there’s a publicity opportunity. For example, while eating at a restaurant, I met both Katie Holmes and Irina Shayk. After introducing myself, I sent them each an Ooshie dress.”

Lesson 4: Turn Challenges Into Growth Opportunities

With two years of entrepreneurship under her belt, Melissia is now working with consultant firm L’effrontée to further refine her brand identity. Presently, her immediate goal is getting Ooshie’s spring/summer 2016 line to domestic and international buyers. Melissia hopes to eventually acquire funding from angel investors and further grow Ooshie’s customer base.

While she credits her modeling career for helping to fine tune the style that inspired Ooshie, she’s also thankful for the personal drive and creativity that led her through the challenges of starting up her own company. “Being an entrepreneur is hard, and there will be moments when you get down and have doubts. It’s okay to have those moments. In those moments, I found direction for my next move. So long as you remember to pick yourself back up and keep going, that’s what matters.”

Learned something? Click the 👏 to say “thanks!” and help others find this article.

Originally published on the QuickBooks Resource Center.